COVID-19 be damned. It’s spring planting season and fortunately, most state governments are allowing green industry businesses to remain open. Here’s a roundup of some of garden centers in the Berkshires, Columbia and Dutchess counties, and Litchfield County that are still open, albeit doing business a little differently. But, safety first. We say: Make a list, check it twice, and shop once.

We liked this reminder from Northern Dutchess Botanical Gardens’s website:

We know it won’t be as much fun plant shopping this year so, I propose we slow down. Let’s focus on the process of your garden, the digging part, the nurturing part, the weeding part, the watering part, the playing in the dirt part. That is where the magic of nature happens, that is where the soul is nourished, you are de-stressed and the peace of working the earth will boost your immune system, raise your spirits and keep you strong.

Berkshire County

Ward’s Nursery and Garden Center, Great Barrington

Ward’s offers over 1,400 perennials, 700 woody plants, over 50 kinds of daffodils and houseplants. To deal with COVID-19, Ward’s has changed store hours to 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and is offering curbside pickup or delivery to those who wish to not enter the store. Call in your order, and the staff will take detailed information about what you need. And if you’re new to gardening, Ward’s is offering a sample vegetable starter mix to get you going.

Whitney’s Farm Market and Garden Center, Cheshire, MA

Whitney’s is a full-service market and garden supplier. It’s currently offering curbside pickup and delivery services for both the garden center and farm market. They offer online or phone ordering, and not doing any cash transactions to limit the spread of the virus. “Anything we sell, you can order,” they say during a friendly Facebook Live from the greenhouse.

Whitney's Farm Market

Columbia County

Country Caretaker Garden Center, Canaan, NY

The Country Caretaker Garden Center is a family-owned service in Canaan, New York. They maintain 11 greenhouses and have expanded to offer certain landscape services as wells. To ensure safety during the COVID-19 pandemic, they have mandated guests to place their order ahead of time so it is ready when they arrive. They are also offering delivery for bagged and bulked items.

Holmquest Farms & Greenhouse, Hudson, NY

Holmquest Farms and Greenhouse has over 30,000 square feet of greenhouse space and offers plants, flowers fruits, and vegetables. Their opening day is still April 18 despite COVID-19. To ensure safety, they’re notifying people about possible waits to get in to avoid crowds, encouraging gloves and masks and mandating that each guest maintains a distance of six feet. They will be accepting pickup orders by email or phone.

Dutchess County

Northern Dutchess Botanical Gardens, Rhinebeck, NY

Northern Dutchess Botanical Gardens grows annuals, perennials, vegetables, herbs and ornamentals across 70 acres of land. Despite the pandemic, NDBC is producing its annual plant stock. Entrance into their indoor greenhouse is extremely limited; guests are only allowed in if absolutely necessary, and are required to wear gloves and masks. NDBG is offering its sustainably grown clean edibles list (tomatoes, peppers, herbs and vegetables) and making it as easy as possible to order online; there's a PDF download so customers can itemize the plants they want. NDBG will later contact customers when the order is ready to be picked up.

Northern Dutchess Botanical Gardens

The Phantom Gardener, Rhinebecck, NY

The garden center in Rhinebeck spreads across 20 acres to sell grown plant materials, organic vegetables and herbs, pest control, tools, and more. In normal times, the Phantom Gardener also host classes and workshops throughout the year. Currently, the center is not open to the public for browsing given the COVID-19 crisis, but it has introduced Phantom 2 Go for online and phone orders of everything you need for your garden, from edibles to bulk materials, for curbside pickup and delivery.

Millbrook Gardens, Millbrook, NY

Millbrook Gardens is both a gardening center and landscape servicer that specializes in the design, construction and installs of the big things, like stone walls and tennis courts. It also sells gifts and outdoor furniture in the garden center. Millbrook Gardens remains open, but asks that if you need to shop to wait in the car for assistance. Only one customer or family shops at a time, and shopping is limited to 15 minutes. Call ahead to arrange a specific time to visit the garden center, or order ahead of time to arrange for curbside pickup.

Adams Fairacre Farms, Poughkeepsie, NY

Adams Fairacre Farms is a popular store, restaurant, deli and garden center with locations throughout the Hudson Valley. In their garden center, they offer a nursery, supplies and many helpful tips from employees. Adams also has Hudson Valley’s largest selection of high-grade nursery stock. The Adams in Poughkeepsie remains open to the public; including the garden center. To follow COVID-19 regulations, they are wiping down everything, offering contactless payments at registers, providing senior hours in the early mornings, and more.

Litchfield County

Kent Greenhouse & Gardens, Kent, CT

The garden center and nursery, which spreads across five acres, produces annuals, herbs, perennials, shrubs and various-sized specimen trees to both the public and professionals. Kent Greenhouse is offering curbside pickup and delivery and has developed a weekly availability list for guests to select plants and supplies and place orders by email or phone. Customers are welcome to stroll through their fields of plants for a quick getaway outside the house.

Salisbury Garden Center, Salisbury, CT

The Salisbury Garden Center grows annuals, perennials, shrubs, trees, houseplants, and tropicals. There’s also a garden store that sells fertilizers, pesticides, pottery, garden ornaments, furniture, and more. While they are still open their regular business hours every day, they encourage curbside pickup or delivery and have developed an online “menu” for guests to order from. They are only taking phone orders and have even offered new delivery specials in light of COVID-19.

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Written by
Nadine Cafaro